Determination of the plutonium content in samples from a 30-KM zone around the chernobyl nuclear power plant

• Published in: Atomic energy (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 100; no. 2; pp. 144 - 148
• Main Authors: BONDAR'KOV, M. D, IVANOV, Yu. A, ZHELTONOZHSKII, V. A, ZHELTONOZHSKAYA, M. V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.02.2006; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Americium; Applied sciences; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Nuclear power plants; Plutonium; Uranium; Ukraine, Chernobyl; Radiochemical method; Uranium; Nuclear power plant; Radioactive contamination; Americium; Plutonium; Soil pollution; Standards
• ISSN: 1063-4258; 1573-8205
• DOI: 10.1007/s10512-006-0061-0

A method of determining the content of α-emitting plutonium isotopes according to the characteristic L^sub x^ radiation line emitted from uranium in samples taken from the environment is proposed. Comparing the method decribed and the standard radiochemical determination of plutonium isotopes for soil samples taken from a 5-km zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant showed that the results are in good agreement with one another. The concentration of plutonium and americium in the zones with high contamination with transuranium nuclides is measured. It is established that the migration rate of americium is the same as that of plutonium. It is shown that about 90% of the α-emitting nuclides are located at depths of 5-10 cm.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]